Don't M-m-move (Umbrella Academy)

How He Was Born

He was six when it was first brought up. They were having dinner with their mother. All seven of them were, their father of course, crammed in his office pouring over papers none but him cared about. Seven of them, one more distant, but not distant enough to notice yet.

It was halfway through the meal when Diego began speaking, and to him, it felt like it was almost over by the time he finished. Time rushed for him, forcing him to catch up or shut up, neither of which seemed like good options.

It was 6:38 pm when Five asked, "Mom, why does Diego talk so weird?" and it was 6:39 when she answered.

Her answer was not assuring. It was bland and quick, making Diego stiffen his shoulders against the back of the chair, "That's just how he was born, dear."

And it was so. He was born with a perpetual frog in his mouth, blocking syllable after syllable until he stopped yelling at the enemies.

It came up many times. So many times, that by the time he was thirteen, every one of his siblings had asked at least once. He was never the one to answer. Grace. It was always Grace who answered, the same way she had to Five.

Others asked too, of course. 'Kids will be cruel' as They say. And They were right, the kids were cruel.

In the years to follow it began to leave him, coming and going, as unpredictable as storm tides. By the time he was an adult, it barely showed itself. Only in times of great emotion were those W's much harder to say. In those moments, everything around him left. He focused only on pushing that goddamned word out. That's another reason why he never yelled at bag guys. It took too much energy just to yell.

***********************************************

Back in his room. It was comedic to think that just seconds ago it was crumbled mess of magma and rubble. So comedic, that he laughed. He laughed and laughed at his mirror. He laughed at his body still lanky and weak, still a young boy. He laughed until he forgot why he was laughing, and even then, it took too much energy to stop.

Five had succeeded, and the apocalypse now loomed years away. It was enough time. Enough time for Diego to stare at himself in the mirror, confused beyond words. He had no idea where he made a wrong turn in life to end up here; a man in a boy's body laughing at his little mask and schoolboy uniform. Yet, in some way he was relieved to have a second chance. He would do things right this time.

The family meeting was held in the dining room, since after they arrived they bolted to their mirrors to see themselves. Of course, Five had no interest in doing this. He knew what he looked like, and he wasn't any happier this time than the last.

They sat, all six of them, around the table. Vanya was asleep, in her locked room. They didn't know if she would wake, and some of them hoped she wouldn't. "Well, seems like it worked. How much time we got...?" Klaus was the first to speak, "oh right, shit ton."

Five's eye-roll could be heard in his voice, "at least we can change things now. We can set everything right."

Klaus leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the table, bouncing his leg, "We kill Vanya."

"W-w-w.....-w.-w." Diego inhaled, one time before each letter to no avail. We are not killing Vanya he wanted to say. Time dragged on, and with each forced breath his lungs shriveled. He began to fidget as he tried to speak, grabbing the table and attempting to force the word out. It didn't work, and he was left gasping with memories of his mom always repeating "imagine the word. Imagine the word." That didn't work either.

And they all turned suddenly to him. This time, there was no domino mask to cover it up. No mask to hide the anger and embarrassment in his eyes. It came back to the five others quickly. He was just 'born with it.' Though he could not hear them, he knew what they were thinking. Just as they could read his sorrowful eyes, he could read theirs. So much pity held back. So much pity that he felt like he deserved after having to catch his breath mid- word.

When the silence became too silent, yet also much too loud, he punched the wooden table, "NO!" He took a shaky breath, the air from his mouth scattering as he exhaled, "FUCK THIS!" He out a knife and threw it, the blade digging in to one of the wooden drawers.

The rest of the academy kept their mouths shut as Diego stormed, tears on his cheeks, to his room.